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Iredell Stone
Iredell Stone (December 17, 1804 - June 28, 1880) was one of the early settlers of the Cherry Creek community of White County, his family being the namesake of Stone Hollow. He and his descendants farmed in the Hollow for over a century. Early life Iredell Stone was born December 17, 1804, most likely in Jackson County (one source says Surry County, North Carolina, but he told census-takers he was born in Tennessee). He was the son of Corder C. and Mary Polly Mason Stone. Either the family moved to White County in Iredell's early childhood, or the 1806 erection of that county by the state legislature encompassed the Jackson County land they were already living on. Family Iredell married Jane "Jennie" Brown (September 25, 1811 - February 25, 1893) sometime around 1832 in White County. Children All of the children were born in White County. #Samuel Brown Stone (born April 20, 1831; died September 26, 1900 in Klickitat County, Washington) #Corder Stone (born 1834; date of death unknown, but after 1850) #Walter Celmer Stone (born 1835; died July 14, 1912 in Stanislavas County, California) #David Vance Stone (born 1838; date of death unknown, but after 1850) #William H. Stone (born 1840; date of death unknown, but after 1860) #Mary Ann "Polly" Stone (born 1843; died 1925 in Stanislavas County, California) #Sarah Ann "Sally" Stone (born February 10, 1846; date of death unknown, but after 1860) #Lucy H. Stone (born May 18, 1850; died January 14, 1926 in Tulare County, California) #Zachriah Taylor Stone (born November 24, 1852; died July 26, 1931 in White County) Death Fearing his end was near, on April 1, 1880 Iredell penned his last will and testament. He died June 28 of that year in White County. He was buried in Stone Cemetery near his homeplace in Stone Hollow, the second-oldest known burial there. Act of Congress. Civil War legend In 1930, Coral Williams wrote a master's thesis titled "Legends and Stories of White County, Tennessee" as part of her work towards a master's degree in English at the George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, which later became part of Vanderbilt University. She included the following legend about the bloody Civil War deeds of two sons of "Idyle" Stone, most likely a corruption of "Iredell". Though there is no official record of any Roderick Stone, there was a Walter Stone and Tom Wisdom was real as well. The census information never lists the Stones as slave-owners. Whether or not this tale actually happened is likely a mystery that will never be solved. : "Idyle Stone’s boys, Walter and Roderick, with Tom Wisdom, stole and robbed for a living and at the same time escaped conscription into the army. One night on their way home, they came by the home of Jim Howard in the Flat Woods. The boys knew he had money and tried to force him to tell where it was hidden. They punished him terribly, but still he refused to tell his secret. At length when his body was torn and bleeding they threw him into a hog pen as a dead man. : The boys sent back to the house and made the women tell where the money was hidden. Mr. Howard had bored a hole in a block of wood, placed the money in the opening, plugged the hole, and thrown the block in a wheat field. After finding the money, they went to their home in Stones Hollow. They expected the room to be empty and went in with bloody clothes to make the division of money. When this task had been accomplished, they noticed a little Negro boy sleeping in one of the beds in the room. Dick Stone, the little colored boy, had only pretended to be sleeping, for he knew that it would mean certain death if they suspected that he knew. Many years later the Negro told what he had heard and seen that night." Census information 1820 Federal Census - White County In 1820, Iredell was about sixteen and still living with his parents and seven siblings. 1830 Federal Census - White County In 1830, Iredell was either not living in White County, not located by the census-taker, or still living with his parents, despite being about 26 and less than a year away from the birth of his first child. 1840 Federal Census - White County In 1840, Iredell seems to be listed in the census under the name "Joel Stone", for the following reasons: #Joel is found living next door to Corder, Iredell's father. #Iredell was not recorded as living with his parents. #Joel is in Iredell's age bracket. #Joel's wife is in Jane's age bracket. #Joel has four sons under the age of ten and no daughters, the same as Iredell at this time. Perhaps Joel was Iredell's middle name, or the census-taker was a tremendously bad speller. 1850 Federal Census - White County In 1850, Iredell is found under his usual name. However, daughter Sarah Ann (born 1846) seems to have been missed in this census. She would reappear in 1860. 1860 Federal Census - White County In 1860, Iredell and his family were living in the 9th Civil District, where Stone Hollow was. They were recorded as being served by Falling Water post office, just across the line in Putnam County. References Category:Cherry Creek community Category:White County farmers Category:White County early settlers